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  '79 to '93 -- The Fox Mustang & Capri
  Any idea how rare?

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Author Topic:   Any idea how rare?
Gearhead
Gearhead

Posts: 569
From: The Rock, Crazy Canuckland, 1979 Indy Pace Car
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 10-27-2000 01:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gearhead   Click Here to Email Gearhead     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ok, a friend of mine has a brother in New Zealand who owns a 1979 Mustang coupe. He is looking to sell it to fund his project '69 Grande, and wants an idea of its worth. Now, here's the kicker on this car... it's a Japan export car. There are quite a few strange differences on the car, compared to a standard 79 Mustang. Here's a few of the differences:

- All ensignias and decals have both english and Japanese writing on them;
- Has orange turn signals installed on the rear bumper, to comply with Japanese laws of the day (79 Mustangs had all-red tail lights from the factory)
- The factory installed seat has adjustments to raise and lower the height of the seat, as well as the standard forward/backward tracks.

We know the seat is factory installed, because when they took it out to check the mechanism (standard guy practice, gotta take it apart to see how it works ) the factory build sheet was found tucked into the springs. On the build sheet it is clearly marked "For Japan Export".

The car is in mint condition, and has the 5.0L engine/C-4 auto tranny combo. It's not heavily optioned, but is all original and all stock.

Any ideas of how many 79 Mustangs were exported to Japan?? Who could I contact to find out this info? The owner would just like a bit more details on the particulars of Japan-export cars to help determine a price before the car goes up for auction.

Thanks for any advice/help you can give on this!

------------------
Cheers,
Ian
M&M Member #395
---------------
'79 Mustang Indy 500 Pace Car
Ian's Pace Car Page

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Stewart
Pit Boss

Posts: 3620
From: Monterey, CA Mustangsandmore Member #437
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 10-27-2000 02:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Stewart   Click Here to Email Stewart     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm no help for you on this one Ian, sorry.

But, have you looked on the Ford web page? I wonder if there might be a link or something that could direct you, or maybe a phone number you could call where someone at the factory could either help you or give you idea's where to look.

Just a thought.

Stewart

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Capri
Pit Boss

Posts: 918
From: Lyons, ILL, USA
Registered: May 99

posted 10-28-2000 01:42 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capri   Click Here to Email Capri     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hmmmmmm. Being the car is mint, and is a 5.0 Automatic, I would say its every bit of $2500.00 if not much more. Look at the Mustangs GT's and so on. First year F/I cars are stil bringing a good buck. However, Id give about $500 for it. hehehe Id want to be a cheapskate and have it! lol

Tony.

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Stewart
Pit Boss

Posts: 3620
From: Monterey, CA Mustangsandmore Member #437
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 10-31-2000 08:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Stewart   Click Here to Email Stewart     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ian, did you find anything out?

Stewart

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Gearhead
Gearhead

Posts: 569
From: The Rock, Crazy Canuckland, 1979 Indy Pace Car
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-01-2000 05:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gearhead   Click Here to Email Gearhead     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Stewart:
Ian, did you find anything out?

Stewart


So far nothing that would be useful. The funny thing is that the VIN on the dash is different from the one on the build sheet and the door, yet the car has no accidents as far as their records go (and it is fairly well documented). The VIN on the build sheet and door match, however. Strange. We are wondering if it got re-VINed at some point for reasons unknown (being that we have traced it to 3 different countries so far... Germany, Japan and then New Zealand). The door tag data seems to match up with all of the options and features on the car. It's a little mystery (aargh, and just after I solved the 302 identification puzzle, this one is going to bug me until I find an answer now!! ).

Ian

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Stewart
Pit Boss

Posts: 3620
From: Monterey, CA Mustangsandmore Member #437
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-01-2000 08:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Stewart   Click Here to Email Stewart     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Heh heh heh...Detective Gearhead!

Stewart

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Capri
Pit Boss

Posts: 918
From: Lyons, ILL, USA
Registered: May 99

posted 11-02-2000 12:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capri   Click Here to Email Capri     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If it was revinned, then it would have been redone all ove the car providing it was from the factory. That is fact. However, remember this is an EXPORT car. When things go from country to country, some things can be rodone. Like changing seats and so on.

Tony.

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evlgt85
Gearhead

Posts: 169
From: Behind the wheel of an angry 85 Mustang GT
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-02-2000 03:59 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for evlgt85   Click Here to Email evlgt85     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Are there any pics of it you could put online? Sounds fascinating. I'll do some looking, but I doubt you'll be able to find much info on this car.

Also, rarity and desirability are two different things. May not be a terribly desirable car to most, although I'd LOVE to have it.

------------------
Four Eyed Pride
85 Mustang GT
Surrogate 90 GT
Cats Paxton and Cleveland
StangtecModerator

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Gearhead
Gearhead

Posts: 569
From: The Rock, Crazy Canuckland, 1979 Indy Pace Car
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-02-2000 04:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gearhead   Click Here to Email Gearhead     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the car that I could put up. I agree that the rarity of the car will have little effect on the value, as the collectors market for 79-93 Mustangs is still very soft, unless it's one of the specialty cars.

I did some more digging and worked on the codes and come up with this information on the car (from the VIN on the dash and the VIN on the door tag/buildsheet, as they are different). Interesting, as you will see, as the VIN on the dash is obviously from another car (this car is a coupe and the dash VIN is for a hatchback). The code for the seats on the buildsheet (TM2) is circled, and is different from the codes that I have seen on other buildsheets of the same vintage. I have no clue what these codes actually stand for, but I thought that it was interesting that it was highlighted from the factory! Here's what I have been able to decifer so far:

Dash VIN ? 9F03F17****
9 ? 1979
F ? Dearborn assembly plant
03 ? 3dr hatchback
F ? 5.0 litre 2V V8 140 hp
17**** ? Consecutive build number

Door/Buildsheet VIN ? 9R04F10****
9 ? 1979
R ? San Jose assembly plant
04 ? 2dr Ghia
F ? 5.0 litre 2V V8 140 hp
10**** ? Consecutive build number


Door Tag Data

Build Date ? October 1978
Color: 3J ? Bright Blue
DSO: 90 ? Export
Body: 66H ? 2 dr Sedan
Trim: HB ? Wedgewood Blue (not sure about the ?H? code on this one)
Date Code: FBA??? Not sure if this is the correct place for these codes, as they don?t make sense.
Axle: B ? 2.47 ratio ?open? rear differential
Trans.: W ? 3-speed automatic C-4


Buildsheet Data

Body Code: 66H ? 2 dr Sedan Ghia
Paint: 3J ? Bright Blue
Interior: B ? Wedgewood Blue
Region/District: 90 ? Export
Engine: F ? 5.0 litre 2V V8 140 hp
Trans.: W ? 3-speed automatic C-4


The VIN on the dash is bugging me. Accident maybe? Hmmm. The hunt continues.

------------------
Cheers,
Ian
M&M Member #395
---------------
'79 Mustang Indy 500 Pace Car
Ian's Pace Car Page

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ragtopjr
Gearhead

Posts: 178
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Registered: Oct 2000

posted 11-07-2000 11:34 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ragtopjr   Click Here to Email ragtopjr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For the person that had the money to buy it and hang on to it for a while I think the value will only go up It may not be desireable to us but what about the japanese collector that remembers seeing one in 79 and said I wish I could afford that and is now in a position to! We have all passed up dream cars at one point or another on persons trash is another persons treasure, you just have to find the right persons!I would love to have that car as it is truly one in a million!

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1984 5.0L LX Conv 3600 lbs 13.41 at 101.89 SIR
http://mbmustangs.tripod.com/index.htm

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Capri
Pit Boss

Posts: 918
From: Lyons, ILL, USA
Registered: May 99

posted 11-07-2000 10:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Capri   Click Here to Email Capri     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This is starting to sound like a car that might have been pieced together at the factory. Hmmmmmmmm I Wonder. Is there any evidence of a wreck or does it look perfect?

Tony.

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Gearhead
Gearhead

Posts: 569
From: The Rock, Crazy Canuckland, 1979 Indy Pace Car
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 11-08-2000 05:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gearhead   Click Here to Email Gearhead     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
From what I understand there is no evidence that it has ever been in a wreck... and that comes from guys who know how to spot signs that a car has been in any significant accident.

I wonder if there is any other avenue that I could check with to find out if it is a pre-production build, or some sort of promotional/experiental item? Any suggestions on where to start looking??

Ian

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wythors
Gearhead

Posts: 1161
From: La Conner WA. No. This isn't a winter tan. It's rust.
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-08-2000 06:56 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for wythors   Click Here to Email wythors     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Okay Ian, here ya go. This had been bugging me for a while and I think I've got a contact for you:

Ford Worldwide Direct Marketing Operations
313-594-4857

According to a friend at a local Ford dealer, these folks are in charge of all Ford vehicles sold for export to anyplace other than Canada or Mexico. I hope it helps.

Dave

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